Jim Timmens

Jim Timmens (April 15, 1920—May 1980) was an American percussionist, music arranger, conductor, and composer who served as the musical director of the Sesame Street television series in the children's division of Columbia Records, from 1970 to 1980.

Jim Timmens was born James Francis Timmens on April 15, 1920.

He began his professional musical career in the early 1950s after studying with German composer Stefan Wolpe. In 1952, he began playing percussion in Eddie Sauter-Bill Finegan Orchestra alongside Bobby Nichols (trumpet); Nick Travis(trumpet); Sonny Russo, Jimmy Thompson, and Tommy Mitchell (trombone); Harvey Estrin, Al Block, and Wally Kane (clarinet); Gene Allen (baritone saxophone); Ralph Burns (piano); Joe Venuto (marimba, vibraphone); Park Hill (guitar); Max Bennett (bass); and Mousey Alexander (drums).

In 1957, Timmens arranged music for Tina Louise's jazz album It's Time For Tina with Hilton Jefferson (alto saxophone), Coleman Hawkins (tenor saxophone), Tyree Glenn (trombone), and Buddy Weed And His Orchestra.

During that time, he also did music arrangements for The Steve Allen Show on NBC.

In 1959, Timmens began working for Golden Records, a Simon & Schuster record label founded in 1948 by Arthur Shimkin. Golden was one of the first children's music labels to combine story with melody. That year, he recorded the children's album A Child's Introduction To Outer Space.

Between 1959 and 1960, Timmens made four "Revisited" albums on Warner Bros. Records, including Gilbert and Sullivan, Show Boat, and Porgy & Bess. The records presented jazz arrangements of the familiar songs, accompanied by trumpeter Doc Severinsen, saxophonist Al Klink, and trumpeter/arranger Mel Davis.

In 1961, he replaced Mitch Miller as Golden's musical director and worked on albums featuring "Popeye", "Beetle Bailey", "Krazy Kat", and "Woody Woodpecker".

In 1962, Timmens composed and conducted music for Danny Kaye on Grimm's Fairy Tales album and, the same year, conducted and arranged A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh songs.

In 1963, he recorded Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs with songwriter Ray Charles and singer Rose Marie Jun. The following year, he recorded An Introduction To Music: The Sounds Of Music accompanied by the band The Sandpipers; singers Ed Powell, Eric Carlsen, and Kay Lande; composer+writer Jacquelyn Reinach, and writer+narrator Maurice Zam.

In 1968, he recorded The Elephant's Child. Narrated by actor Norman Rose, it is based on the book of the same title by Rudyard Kipling.

When Golden Records founder Arthur Shimkin moved to Columbia Records in 1967, Timmens followed, serving as musical director of the Columbia Children's Book and Record Library, writing and arranging songs and scores for Cinderella, The Bible, Oliver Twist, Don Quixote, and Pinocchio.

In 1970, Shimkin founded Sesame Street Records with Children's Television Workshop. From 1970 onwards until his death, he worked with Sesame Street Records and recorded several titles, as the arranger, musical director, and sound editor. In 1974, he edited the album for The Electric Company, an American educational children's television series produced by the Children's Television Workshop. The series was co-created by actor/comedian/writer Paul Dooley, TV producer Joan Ganz Cooney, and psychologist Lloyd Morrisett.

For his 1977 album Aren't You Glad You're You?, Timmens shared the Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children with producer Christopher Cerf.

Timmens died in New York in May 1980, at age 60.